Zero Hour
by Munkii
Summary: Continuation of Ghost: Zero. Selece and Miira wage war against the New Confederacy, only to find their true enemy is something, or someone, much more dangerous. An older fiction technically on hiatus. Yuri. Please read prequel.
1. Chapter 1: For The Future

Zero Hour

A StarCraft Original Fanfiction, Sequel to Ghost: Zero

Thanks go out to the reviewers of the original fiction Ghost: Zero, and to Vampwriter for being my Beta reader for this fiction.

StarCraft is property of Blizzard Entertainment of Vivendi Universal.

Chapter 1:  
For the Future o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Like a vivid dream, Selece had remembered that night. The night the Protoss came to save Miira, the night she had confessed her inner most secrets, facing the prospects of never being able to reveal them again. It was a nightmare, and yet, it turned out well in the end, and Selece knew she would never forget it.

The blood-stained jumpsuits had been thrown away, and Miira s wound had fully healed, not even leaving the slightest trace of injury thanks to Protoss first aid technology. Selece really didn t know how much different it was from Terran technology, but it worked, and that was all that mattered. The next few mornings, it was like their life had begun anew. High Templar Yah'zugar of the Haz'rad deep space fleet, along with the ever faithful Taliz, had formed a pact with both of the young girls to save the Terran and Protoss races, if not from the evil spreading throughout the universe, then from the cruel New Confederacy, whose oppressive society had driven Selece and Miira to revolt years before.

Their two Protoss companions had left to oversee the deployment of an undersea base, as Tarsonis B was primarily a water world. Selece and Miira remained, resting on their makeshift bed regaining psionic energy. Thankfully, Taliz had left them with several blankets, so they would no longer be cold during the nights.

A dull, simple light filled the cavern, barely illuminating them. Selece was a pale girl with long white hair. She was seventeen years old, but had seen more combat then the most of the New Confederate soldiers, her enemy. She was growing taller as of late, but still, short in comparison to the majority of the Terran race for her age, standing at only five and a half feet. She sat up, walking slowly over to two sets of jumpsuits that Taliz had brought with him on his last visit. They were equipped with tracking and health measurement systems, along with a radio, connected directly to the main computer of the Yulag'ya, the Carrier S-class mothership of the Protoss fleet. Selece removed the majority of her ragged clothing. She had clothed herself in it after having tossed the stained jumpsuit she had been using for the last year.

This material is darker then the Confederate suits, commented Selece as she slipped the outerwear on. It fit her well, and Selece figured it was sensitive to body heat, allowing it to mold itself into a more appropriate shape. As she could feel it tightening around her form, she stretched her arms in several directions. The joints are good too.

Miira was watching Selece intently from a short distance away. She too had silvery white hair, which she had recently trimmed to shoulder length. Her skin was not as white as Selece s, but it was still pale neither of them received much sunlight, not to mention the suits blocked most of the local star s radiation when they were under it. Miira stood up and made her way over to Selece, who held out her own black-as-night jumpsuit.

Thank you, Selece. Miira said softly, and she removed her own dirty shirt and pants. Like Selece, Miira s jumpsuit was visibly changing shape to match her body. These are so much nicer then our old ones. Selece and Miira blended into the shadowy cave as the dark material they wore absorbed the little light present.

In a couple days, we can test them out, can t we? Selece replied, moving forward to hug the younger girl. The night that Miira was teetering on the edge of survival had changed both of them, and they could not bring themselves to regard their relationship, nor their lives, for granted anymore. No longer did they want it to be a silent love. So many times they had shared fleeting glances in blushing wordlessness, but after that night... They couldn t imagine going an hour without showing, and acknowledging, affection for each other. They were an army of two soldiers, an army of two against a world of hate. Their life could be abruptly ended at any time.

A couple more days sounds about right, Miira replied, sensing her psionic potential. They had fully depleted their energy just a couple days ago, and regaining energy when starting from zero took considerably longer. Though, we should probably go out and find some food today. Selece nodded, and without another word, they left the underground lair after slinging their rifles onto their backs. Being close to each other, psionically, and otherwise, allowed them to read each other s minds, and simple thoughts were shared without any effort. Not to mention they were becoming tired of eating the same bread rations everyday.

Hunting was little more then detecting the presence of a creature and shooting with a psionically aimed shot, hence the only real time consuming method of gathering food was picking various fruits and digging up roots. While it would have been easy to just eat meat, some fruit in the diet was certainly welcome. Having been gathering from this specific region for two years now, both girls knew exactly where the best spots were.

Selece and Miira walked quietly through the undergrowth. The sound of Wraith Bees could be heard the distance, and the girls hurried over to a small hole in the ground they had used in the past to avoid thermal detection. It was fairly normal. Patrols were always flying over this area now, it had become more suspicious in the last couple days with everything that had happened. Confederate air command was probably wondering why they were occasionally seeing psionic activity.

The hole was dug into the side of a hill, covered by brush, and nearly eight feet deep. It was not very large in width, however, and Selece crawled in feet first before assisting Miira in on top of her, weapon at the ready. It was certainly entertaining, both of them aware of their hearts. In the past, it was standard for them to share small spaces. But now, now that they had confided their feelings in each other, every time their bodies made contact, a warm energy raced through their skin and neither took the effort to hide it.

The Bee s raced overhead moments later. As they waited for the fighters to loop back around, Selece pulled out a small pouch where they had been keeping the berries they had been picking minutes earlier. She set it on her upper chest and opened it, and the both of them took turns removing the small orange fruits, eating them quietly as they scanned the area for enemies with their psionic talents.

Miira, we will need to destroy the facility where the Observer was taken. Do you remember if we have enough charges for the Bay Road building? I have a feeling that s where it is. Selece said, though in her thoughts, projecting them forward to Miira.

Probably not, its pretty big. I guess we could steal a few more. Miira replied in a similar way. While their eyes made contact, their lips were still. Their breathing was the only thing that could be heard besides the quiet scream of engines in the distance, and a slight wind whipping at the hillside.

I doubt they have analyzed the wreckage yet... Well, at least not completely. The Protoss technology is significantly different from the Terran technology, I d imagine it would be difficult to fully understand it even after several years. Selece nibbled on a berry. The Protoss use forms of nano-machinery, so the Confederates would be forced to develop tools just to be able to see the inner workings of parts of the probe, more specifically the psionic generator. And with no generator, the pieces that create the cloaking and psionic shield are useless. They are incompatible with electrical energy.

You certainly know a lot about the Protoss for only having met one in person less then a week ago, Selece. Miira smiled as she sent the thought to the girl she rested on.

I was taught quite a bit about the Protoss for one reason or another. Although, of course, I was trained by veterans of the old wars. Amazing they were still alive, really. The one who taught me about the Protoss had scars all over the place. The sound of Bee s could be heard again as the aircraft began the return trip to Fairhold. It was tempting to just continue laying there with Miira though, perhaps taking a nap for a little while, but food was substantially more important at the moment. The comforts of being able to eat fresh meat and fruit for meals were too much to resist.

The sound of the Confederate squadron disappeared and Selece helped Miira out of the glorified foxhole. Selece began to extricate herself, but Miira told her hastily in thought-speech to stop.

I feel soldiers. Twelve. They are moving along the coast. Miira explained in her thoughts. Selece nodded, and she quietly finished lifting herself out of the hole with Miira s help. They brushed off the dirt and checked their rifles. Safety off.

We can probably avoid contact, but... we should see what they are doing. The higher ups may have sent them out to see if we were still alive. Selece used her own scanning abilities, and sure enough, the soldiers were walking around on the beach. She detected a Psy-Ops unit among them. A soldier that had psionic potential, and one that was trained to use it. She relayed this information to Miira, who nodded.

Haz-rad command to Selece and Miira: We have detected an enemy patrol west of your current position. Recommend avoidance. The thoughts entered the girls minds, the fleet was speaking to them through their thoughts. Selece, understanding the system seconds later, replied by directing a thought to the radio device on her shoulder, which appeared to be a transceiver of sorts.

Understood. Selece redirected her thoughts to Miira. The Psy-Op won t see us with his own talents if we don t alternate our energy usage, his abilities are minimal. Let s inch back home.

Rifles armed, they made their way quietly through the dense forest surrounding their abode, keeping a psionic eye on the Confederate soldiers, who right now appeared to be taking a break and drinking illicit booze. Both Selece and Miira were afraid of the stuff, which was not unlike the fuel the Confederacy used to power its accursed squadrons of fighters and ground vehicles.

A small creature sniffed around the entrance to the underground lair that Selece and Miira called home. A silenced shot hit it squarely in the head, and it flew back into the darkness as the girls approached. They picked up the animal, threw it in a bag, and began their decent into a labyrinth of tunnels that protected their living space.

It was nearly impossible for someone without psionic potential to locate the main chamber, and there was only one correct route. Even after two years of navigating it, Selece and Miira found themselves relying on their talents to find their way home every time they needed to go through the tunnels.

Well, our scavenging was cut short, glad we had something run across our path. Selece commented quietly as they entered the main chamber. The sound of dripping water and air pumps could be heard, but both girls were quite used to it now, and didn t even notice. Miira moved to turn on their small single burner stove. Selece meanwhile pulled out the animal, which lacked a head, and skinned it with a knife that Miira had stolen from a burly soldier not long ago.

Mystery Meat Berry Surprise tonight? Selece asked, smiling. They still didn t know what the animals names were on this planet, though they tasted mighty fine with a bit of native fruit mixed in. Much better then bread at least.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The sun rose, glimmering off the rolling ocean, and shining a short ways into the opening of the tunnels. Selece and Miira were standing in the cold breeze, checking their equipment. They were now fully rested and energized, and it was time to destroy the facility where the probe had been taken.

Silently, the girls became partially invisible and began running, far beyond the normal speed of humans, directly to the capital city of Fairhold. Trees whipped past in a blur, and in no time at all, they were looking at one of the border checkpoints for the city: a bunker.

Full cloak, begin detection. Selece thought, conveying the message to Miira, who nodded and disappeared into thin air. They made their way slowly into the fortification, shorting the electronics of the defensive armaments by pulling wires psionically from a distance. A patrol could be seen in the distance now, though it was safe for Selece and Miira to ignore them: they went off in another direction. As the girls closed in on the bunker, Selece scanned the inside.

I see several satchels of charges, should be enough. Will you stand guard, Miira? Selece asked.

Will do. Miira shorted the circuit on the electrical lock holding the bunker door closed, and stood to the side as Selece slipped in. Two minutes before the patrol comes around.

Aye, Selece strode through the first level before walking down a set of stairs into the basement of the structure. She rummaged through a few boxes before locating the charges, and pulled them out quickly. Attaching several of them to a midnight black belt around her waist alongside extra ammunition, Selece took another charge out of one of the boxes and placed it in the middle of the bunker s main structure, setting the timer for one minute. She left at a quick pace, and exited to a waiting Miira.

I left a present, we should run a bit. Selece explained, and Miira nodded. They dashed off towards Fairhold, running past multiple patrols. Shortly later, an explosion rocked the ground and a plume of dark smoke rose into the sky behind them. Alarms and shouts of surprise could be heard, but the girls paid them no heed.

Several minutes passed, and Selece and Miira arrived in the heart of the military compound, a vast array of non-descript buildings and armaments, patrolled by countless soldiers. Even in the early morning, it seemed busy, and Selece and Miira reminded themselves that they absolutely had to remain undetected.

Might be because of the bunker we destroyed, Selece. Never know though, I guess. Miira thought, and Selece smiled. They found their way to an alley where there seemed to be no regular patrols, and the girls began to look for the remnants of the probe that had been destroyed just days ago.

I have located the psionic generator. It s in the building where we suspected it to be. Miira mentioned several minutes later.

Alright, let s go. I m not resting until it s destroyed. That, and the cloaking device. Probably in pieces somewhere. Selece replied, and they set off.

The main door to the building was being guarded by a handful of marines, and both girls knew it would be better to approach from another entrance. Selece scanned the structure, finding an unprotected air vent on the top of the building. She conveyed the image in her mind to Miira, and they hurried to the side of the building, only feet from another patrol. Of course, the soldiers couldn t see them, nor hear them, so they continued to talk coarsely about their exploits the night before at the local bar as they strode along feeling strong and brutal. It was obvious at least one of them was still drunk.

Using their energy to form tight bonds between their hands and feet against the building, Selece and Miira climbed like spiders swiftly up the side of what seemed to be a three story structure. Finding the grate as they peered over the edge of the top, they hastily moved over to it, pulling it aside. Miira jumped in, followed by Selece, who replaced the covering. They moved a small ways in and decloaked.

There seems to be two separate rooms where the pieces are being held, on the second level for the generator, and one on the third for the rest of the pieces. There are guards in both. Selece whispered in thoughts.

We should probably place charges on the substructure and topple the building as well. Miira added. Selece nodded.

Sneak down into the basement and rig that first I guess. Focusing their energies to muffle the sound of their movements now, they crawled through the small access way towards a route that would put them in the bottom of the facility. It was by chance they had found a small device not unlike the explosives they were carrying with them.

Is this place already rigged? wondered Miira in thoughts. Selece examined the apparatus, reading the information printed on its outside.

It says on the surface: Disruption Charge 100 Kilowatts/1 milli rate 10 milliseconds . I m not sure if you were taught about them, but they blast out a wave of psionic energy that renders psionic sensitive individuals incapacitated for a short period of time. This one would affect anyone in a 10 yard radius. You divide the kilowatts by the pulse count... see? Selece pointed at the numbers. Psionic resonance increases the range. With each pulse, the area of effect becomes larger. Not only that, the device is nearly tamper-proof.

This means that... Miira began, but she already knew the answer.

It means we can t mess up, because if they trigger all of these devices in the building, we re helpless, in upwards of thirty seconds. We need to lay charges and get out of here, while staying cloaked the entire time.

Sounds fun.

I m sure it will be. Selece smiled back at Miira, playfully poking her forehead with a gloved hand. Lets get er done.

Even with their psionic talents focused on the mission ahead, the crawl to the depths of the building was slow. The size of the air ducts varied, and both of the female infiltrators found themselves removing gear to squeeze through the less spacious areas. Of course, removing gear meant psionically muffling the sounds it made when it fell to the floor of the airway. It was tedious, and by the time they reached the substructure, it was time for a break to ease off some of the stress accompanied with long periods of tense activity.

The basement portion of the building was dimly lit. Thick support beams could be seen jutting out of the ground, held firmly by great blocks of concrete. Wires ran every which way above the girls heads, and flowing water could be heard in the rusting pipes that poked through the ceiling. The entire underground room was fairly massive, and to an untrained eye would appear indestructible. Of course, Selece already knew how to down much bigger structures with fewer charges, thanks to the training she received in the past from the individuals she was attempting to eliminate.

Miira scanned the room along with Selece, stopping to point out a staircase that seemed to lead even further into the ground. Selece, that staircase... Miira s thought, and Selece nodded.

I don t understand it. Incidentally, I can t detect anything below where we are standing. Either there is something down there and it s being protected, or those stairs are completely useless. Selece took a few steps back into the darkness, sitting on the dirt floor and leaning against a concrete wall. Miira followed suit, sitting down next to Selece.

A few minutes passed by, and Selece pulled out a canteen to take a few sips of water. She handed it to Miira, but her arm froze in mid-air and the younger girl was bombarded by a hurried whisper in her thoughts. Cloak!

The girls vanished from the room in an instant, barely breathing. Light flooded the room, and voices could be heard coming from the stairs as the sounds of sliding doors resonated through-out the space.

M-B 1, this is not negotiable. Those parts are needed now, spoke a quiet, poisonous voice from the stairs. Selece strained to see the individual, but he was still hidden underground. However, she could feel his presence surprisingly well. You know as well as I do this is for the good of all humanity. Let there be sacrifices if that s what it takes to get the work done.

Yes... Yes, sir... You are quite right. I will see to your wishes. M-B 1 replied gruffly, clearly not liking the situation. He was slightly pink the face, and the little hair he had left was in disarray, as if he had been nervously ruffling with it. He saluted and turned away.

I imagine you will. M-B 1 climbed the stairs and disappeared. A scrawny figure in black as night clothing poked above the edge of the stairway in the ground. He scanned the area with his eyes for a moment. There is something different here... Moments later, he vanished and the doors closed. The light dimmed again, and Selece let out a sigh of relief.

Powerful... Very powerful psionic ability... Selece whispered, beginning to breath again. Even a shared thought would have caught his attention. I doubt he caught my whisper to you, but still...

You don t think he can sense us through whatever this floor is made out of? Miira asked softly. She gazed up to look at Selece.

No, I don t think so. His signature was very strong, and now... I don t feel it at all. In any case, we have work to do. Selece undid the clasps on several charges and set them on the ground. We are going to weaken the substructure before we detonate the charges. Here, Miira, let me show you how. She led the younger girl over to a large beam, and taking both of her hands, placed them on the cold steel.

Now, concentrate. Use your energy to gouge the beam in several places, as deep as half of the thickness. It will still hold long enough for us to do our work and get out of here, though it will be bending pretty soon. Selece explained, and she assisted Miira in sabotaging the column. When it was satisfactorily invalidated, Selece kneeled down, dragging Miira down with her by her hand.

The concrete is easier. Place your hand on it and direct a psionic force straight down, like so. Selece put her free hand on the block of concrete. Moments later, it cracked down the center. This will help to further weaken the main structure. Miira nodded, smiling as Selece was still holding her hand warmly. Let s do this to all the beams.

It was short work once it came to subverting the other steel supports. Twenty minutes passed and several dozen of them were slowly bending under the wait of the building, though not fast enough to warrant concern. Selece handed Miira a few charges, and they rigged them to the decrepit structure. Once they were fixed, she set them to detonate in three hours time.

Can we go do the upper levels now? Miira asked, leaning slightly against Selece as they eyed their handiwork. Selece nodded.

You know where the pieces are on the third level, right? She asked.

Yes, I think I could enter from under a desk, place the charges under the workstations, and get out of there. Currently... Miira paused for a moment, deep in concentration as she read her surroundings. Five people. Four are scientists. One drunk guard. Are we going to be processing the third level first, or... Wait, Selece... It was at this time Miira caught onto her partner s thoughts and looked down at her feet. I really would like you to...

You can do it, Miira. I know it s a bit of a stretch for you, but I know you can do it. Besides, we are running low on energy. We need to get this done and get out. Selece replied, softly. She turned to pull Miira into an embrace. I ll take care of the generator. Just remember, if you run into trouble, whisper me. And, if it s too late to whisper me, use your gun.

Miira wrapped her arms around Selece, seeking reassurance. She looked up with shimmering eyes, only find that Selece had leaned down slightly to kiss her gently on the lips. Suddenly, the world felt light and wonderful, for a brief second. Miira smiled.

I m sorry Selece, I know you d never let anything happen to me. I just like to know you re right next to me through everything.

I am. In your heart, forever I am. 


	2. Chapter 2: An Excess of Eyes

**Chapter 2:**

An Excess of Eyes

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Selece had taken Miira's hands for a brief moment, and then the girls separated. Miira headed further upwards, while Selece navigated through the second level air ducts, towards the Protoss generator. Like before, they were both finding the crawl to be slow work, but managed in the end. Selece looked up through a dirty grate, and eyed the people in the room.

One. Two. Three guards in the room. Selece rotated her head slightly to glance at a large work area where several scientists were standing. A grimy, blackened sphere like object was hanging from the ceiling on cables. It was the main hull and generator for the Protoss Observer.

"Alright, well, I can't hide the charges on that thing and scram without someone noticing." Selece thought to herself. As soon as the explosives left her grasp, they would be revealed as they exited the cloaking field. She turned to glance again at one of the guards, who was standing in a corner looking very bored with himself. He was biting on a pencil, and Selece could easily assume he needed a smoke to curb his addiction.

And then, as if switched on in the head, he jumped and screamed so loud the entire room was filled with his sudden horror. He fell to the floor, writhing in pain, his hands on his head. His legs flailed about on the metal floor, kicking whatever was in their way. It just so happened he decided to knock over a toolbox, and the various instruments scattered with a crash.

"Get out! OUT!" His eyes shut tightly closed as his body lurched forward upon the flooring. The other people in the room rushed over to him, and they were attempting to control him before he knocked over any more equipment, but with little success – a jug of cleaning solution was thrown against the wall, spraying everywhere. But even the other guards and the five scientists could not stop his erratic movements. As if by superhuman strength, he was fending them away while crying for help.

"Someone go grab some men from next door!" ordered the lead soldier, turning to an aging scientist clad in a protective gray suit who was ready to speak up in protest.

"We can't! If Command finds out this 'er division is going nutters, 'er dead and you knows it. 'Member the Cosmic Radiance Division? Some guy said 'ee saws a Carrier in his scanners and they gave 'em da boot when they found out he was lying. Da boot an' five feet under!" The soldier considered the objection, and he finally scrunched his face up in disgust after another minute of screaming from his partner.

"Fine. Everyone get your fat…" Selece turned away from the scene, maintaining her control over the soldier's mind as she refocused her thoughts to Miira.

"Miira, it won't be long. I've setup a distraction here for a bit, but in ten minutes, I'm outta here. It's going to be a bit risky."

"Okay, Selece. I will be ready by that time. See you on the roof." Came a reply in Selece's thoughts. She cloaked and pushed aside the grate, dashing at full speed to the generator.

"Little more distraction…" Selece thought to herself, and the screaming soldier gave a rather hard kick to a short, skinny scientist in the gut. She turned back to the darkened metal object in front of her, and jumped fifteen feet into the air, landing onto its top. Placing her hand on the surface there, she plunged a hole through the outside straight down. The excess metal evaporated at her command into a fine, heavy powder that fell to the dirty floor, leaving a rather deep pit.

Selece removed a couple charges from her belt, set them for one hour, and dropped them into the chasm she had created. Seconds later, she was pulling the hatch over her head and crawling away. The screaming in the room ceased moments later.

"Never ordered no endertainments today, but dat was pretty good sarge. Gave Jonny one helluva bruiser in da guts."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Everything had gone according to plan, up until the soldier at the door became sober enough to realize what was going on. Halfway through planting the charges under the table, he noticed a red light on the floor under the workstation, blinking slowly. Miira saw his face change from passive to alarmed in an instant, and she dashed back to the table over the vent opening, cloaked.

"What's the big idea here boys? Where's that light coming from?" He moved closer to the table to inspect it. The scientists looked quizzically at the soldier. Snapping wires could be heard from the entrance to the work room now, and the Confederate team moved to look at the thick sliding hatchway. The light that normally signified whether or not the door was locked was now not even lit at all. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all. Get on comms on an' tell 'em we're having trouble."

"Dead, sir. All dead." Reported a young scientist from a control panel. "And that door won't open without energy." The men turned back to look at the red light flashing on the ground. "I don't suppose you know what that is."

The soldier sighed in defeat, pulling out a small flask of booze from his side. He took a swig, then began a session of starring intently at the scientists. It appeared they were getting ready to reprimand him for drinking in their work area, but at the same time, they seemed to want some of the vile stuff as well, and remained quiet. The scientist at the control panel grew impatient, waiting for a reply. He finally set his hand down upon the metal surface forcefully to regain the attention of the soldier with the subsequent banging sound.

"So?"

"It's a charge. We're goners. I told them back at control they were still alive. Not even a few weeks ago even! But nooo… They demoted me to 'meat with gun'." He roared at his own little funny and took another swig. The alcohol had already begun to take effect. It was pretty strong stuff, to say the least.

"A charge? As in…"

"Boom, boy. Boom!" The soldier lifted his hands in the air sporadically, yelling like a child to illustrate the effects of an explosion. He grinned stupidly. "How 'bout a bit of a drink? Do yer brain a bit of good before it gets melty." He put the container to his lips and chugged this time. "Ya know… I hear these psionics are a couple of little ladies with mighty fine…"

"They would still be in this room, wouldn't they?" The scientist cut in, ignoring the raunchy remarks. "And we didn't seem 'em! They have to be psionics. Don't you have a remote for the disruptors?"

"Eh?" The soldier stared back at the man, leaving his reverie of intoxicated abandon, though it was still apparent in his voice. "Those fizzy boxes in the vents? Yous know, even if we ain't psionic, theys don't feel to pleasantly likes. Bud... whatever. If yer want revenge for yer miserable life, I guess nows yer chance. Where is that thingie-bobbers…" The soldier sorted through his pockets slowly, pulling out a small device. "Heres we go. Would yer do us the pleasures of electrifying our brains to get melties nows?" He put out his hand, and the scientist advanced greedily.

A hushed shot sped out from a barrel behind them all, shattering the device into a million pieces, along with the soldier's hand. A second shot, equally quiet thanks to the silencer, pierced the head of the soldier before he could scream in pain from losing a hand, and he fell backwards with the force a couple feet, dead. Several more shots found their marks. The room was oddly silent, save for the trickling blood running off the work table where two scientists had fallen. Miira uncloaked and dashed back into the ducts. Her charges would be at thirty minutes now. Hers, and all the others in the building. She and Selece had been synchronizing them as they went along, and if she didn't hurry, they would be in the blast radius when the charges decided it was time to explode.

The warm air whipped about the grate at the top of the duct as Miira climbed through. Shouting and banging could be heard echoing down the airways from the room she had just come from. Apparently they were trying to open the door. She turned to Selece.

"It was a bit dirty. We need to get out of here." Miira whispered in thoughts. Selece nodded, and they cloaked again. They secured their rifles on their backs and began to dash to the opposite side of the roof. Selece following Miira, they jumped, intending to land on the next building over. An alarm could be heard in the distance, and then suddenly a great bundle of energy enveloped the area they had just left, hitting both Selece and Miira in mid-air, one after the other.

The effects of the disruption were two fold. Their cloaking ceased as they hit the other building. That, and Selece was knocked unconscious. She had absorbed the majority of the energy, being behind Miira.

It was like being hit on the head with a pillow so hard you saw stars, and then getting up quickly after being at rest, both at the exact same time. Miira collapsed on the concrete roof breathing hard, her entire body hurting from the collision. Her thoughts were disorganized, and yet she still was plainly aware of the fact that Selece was not moving. As her mind began to settle down and become her own once again, she noticed shouting below her. Screams and yells of soldiers entering the building they had landed on. They had heard them land on the roof. She grabbed Selece and threw her on her back, using energy she thought had already left her, to hold her partner off the ground. She cloaked and dashed along the edge, jumping deftly onto a patch of grass in the back of the structure.

"Hold on Selece… Hold on. I'll take care of you. I dearly..." Miira whispered as she ran at top speed out of the compound. Another blast of energy could be felt enveloping the building she was just on, but it was too far away to have any effect. Miira checked her chronometer. "Two minutes."

Miira ran. Ran as hard as she could. As fast as she could. The forest grew dense around her as she left the city limits, and an explosion rocked the area, knocking Miira and Selece to the ground. She quickly crawled into the nearest bush, pulling Selece long with her, and turned to look back. Deep, thick clouds of black smoke rose into the air. Alarms and sirens of all kinds rang out, and air transports could be heard in the distance. Knowing Wraith Bee's would be on the way with thermal detection, Miira took Selece in her arms once more and began the dash back to their home on the coast. The dash back to their safe haven, the place where they didn't have to worry about anything.

Feet falling upon the ground, faster then they could be clearly seen, Miira ran through the trees. She focused her mind on sprinting, and just that. The fact her muscles ached, the fact her throat was dry... It only meant she had to keep pushing and ignore her pain. The sound of alarms began to fade away. The smell of the human encroachment upon the planet drifted off. Wildlife turned cautious eyes towards Miira, but they were confused. She was still invisible to the unaided eye, and her footsteps passed so quickly it was like a sudden breeze whipping through the trees before silence fell once more.

Physically exhausted, Miira closed her eyes. She wasn't really using them anyways. Her feet fell lightly on the path she knew so well. The path she saw clearly in her mind. The path that lead home. An hour had passed like nothing, and Selece was finally stirring now. Miira noticed it instantly.

"Miira…" Selece whispered hoarsely, not bothering to communicate with thoughts. She opened her eyes slowly to glance at her surroundings.

"It's okay Selece. We're getting close now." Miira replied in thoughts, not wanting her company to worry, but also not wanting to lose her rhythm.

"Your energy is very low… Please, Miira… I feel okay, you can sleep on my back and I'll run you the rest of the way." Selece implored, but Miira wouldn't have it. Selece closed her eyes in defeat. Her muscles loosened, they had tensed as soon as she woke. She let out a sigh. "You did very well, Miira. You did an excellent job today. Though, I knew you would do fine. Fine from the beginning to the end. Everything you do like this always reminds me to be grateful we found each other. I am alive today because of the things you do for me. I would gladly give my life to give you another chance at yours... any day."

Miira turned scarlet and skipped a step. No means of concentration or willpower could have hid her feelings. Feelings that seemed to overtake her in an instant; the moment Selece had commended her for something she did well. Even simple things, like finding a plant that was fruiting, it was all the same. Still, the praise she had just received was immense. Her cheeks grew warm, especially since her blood was already flowing rapidly from the long run.

"Thank… Thank you… Selece…" Miira replied in thoughts, though she was obviously flustered. Selece lifted her head up just ever so slightly from Miira's shoulder, and let her cheek brush against the younger girl's. Miira skipped another step, and her thoughts erupted out of her mind to be read by Selece. Thoughts of wanting to stop right there and drag Selece to a bush to kiss her passionately until the final destiny found them. Thoughts of wanting, even for just the comforts of one night, sleeping on Selece's tempting body, and resting her head upon her evermore tempting chest. Once more, Miira's step faltered. Oh, how her body began to feel right now!

It was strange to think now, as Selece reflected on Miira's feelings, how they had gone from lost children to assassins and saboteurs. How they had gone from nothing to living a healthy existence in a hole underground. How their entire race wanted them dead, and yet they still found time to fall in love and share these precious times with each other. And now, just as their bodies truly started to mature, it was as if a new dimension to the word 'love' had been revealed and made truly acceptable. Sure, Selece remembered hearing of the exploits her classmates had taken to. Exploits of lost innocence and youth. Of her classmates becoming mothers and fathers to children they cared nothing about, and of which were taken away to be raised in a military nursery for the rest of their lives. And once again, Selece remembered just how fortunate they were to be away from society.

It was at this time that Miira became aware that her feelings were being read, but try as she might, she could not push Selece's consciousness out of her own. Selece had seemingly taken her own feelings and wrapped them about Miira's to the effect of an unbreakable embrace.

"Don't go too deep… There be strange thoughts…" Miira whispered in defeat, though she made a small, tired smile and continued on her run.

"Oh? Would you prefer to share them with me or should I just root them out?" Selece replied in thoughts. Miira's face, while already pink, flushed a darker hue.

"I imagine it would be embarrassing... for the both of us..."

"No one's around, silly..." Selece let her hand fall to Miira's side, where she let her fingers touch ever so slightly. Miira shivered slightly as the feeling raced through her, and sighed once more. There was no way she could say no to Selece, but that really wasn't the issue. She was drowning in ecstasy with the simple fact that Selece was hanging onto her back and digesting her desires one by one...

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dusk fell swiftly upon the coast. Selece and Miira had made it back just moments before the light vanished completely. Miira was exhausted, but even so she had practically forced Selece to remain on her back for the journey down to the main chamber. It was fifteen minutes later that they had finally reached their home, and Miira slid Selece off her back and onto the bed. Immediately after, Miira collapsed alongside. Selece removed Miira's equipment from the many fasteners on her jumpsuit, and set it to the side, then proceeded to remove her own. As she finished, Selece leaned to the side to grab a canteen filled with water, then leaned back to Miira's side. She put the container to Miira's lips gently, and they opened as if the caring gesture was a password.

"A light snack and water, then bed tonight. I'm so proud of you for pushing yourself, but, you need to be careful, Miira. Probably not going to do anything tomorrow so you can recover." Selece caringly advised. She smiled down at Miira, who looked up with moist eyes.

"I'd do it again tomorrow just to hear those words," Miira replied after several quiet moments. Selece lifted Miira to a sitting position beside her to eat, letting the younger girl rest her head gently against her chest. Miira found she did not want to move.

"But I'm not going to let you because you need to take care of yourself." Selece explained. "Tomorrow we'll do quiet things." She brought a small bag of fruit around for Miira to pick from. Miira took it slowly, examining the contents. Selece sensed she had something important to talk about.

"There is something you should know, Selece... I was completely depleted after the disruption hit us." Miira whispered. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but still, it wasn't a light matter. The feasibility of cloaking and speed running for more then two hours after already having no energy to do so was inherently impossible as far as Miira could tell.

Selece was silent for several moments, thinking about what Miira had just said. Even so, she couldn't put it together, and sighed.

"There are things in this universe that happen. Things that we know nothing about. Nothing about how they work or why they are there. All we can do is be grateful we were on the receiving end." Selece replied softly.

"And, what about that Confederate that was hidden by the stairs? Where did those stairs go anyways?" Miira asked, looking up at Selece for another comforting answer. An answer that would set her mind at peace and free of worry.

"I'm guessing it's one of the command bunkers. Places where the leaders of the Confederacy live and go about their business. They are heavily protected, and near impossible to find because as we found out, they are shielded against psionic detection." Selece explained. She took a sip of water. "As for that person... I don't know who he is, but he is a very high ranking individual. He clearly had control of the conversation with that general. Not to mention, he has immense psionic potential. But, that's enough for tonight, Miira. Time for bed."

Selece removed her boots, and then stood up. She removed her jumpsuit down to her panties, like every night. Though, it was curious this night because Miira's eyes remained watching Selece, instead of focusing on the task of removing her own suit. She found herself desiring Selece to take off her own black as night garments as well.

"With pleasure," Selece whispered almost instantly. She removed Miira's boots. "Please stand up."

Miira complied silently, standing to face Selece. Selece smiled softly and turned her around to undo the velcro bindings along the back. The top piece loosened, and Selece pulled it off to reveal Miira's bare chest. The new jumpsuits were meant to come in contact with the skin to monitor the health of the user, but that really wasn't the reason why Miira had worn nothing underneath. Like Selece, she had little clothing to cover her skin. Especially underwear. A couple pair of panties were all she had, and it wasn't much different for Selece. Of course, their Protoss friends would have gladly given them some more clothing, but undergarments were something they just didn't have. Especially for women. Selece clearly remembered that 97% of all soldiers were male from her studies long ago. Miira could feel Selece's hand around her waist. This pulled Selece from her memories, and moments later, Miira could feel the lower piece of the jumpsuit falling away. She lifted her feet one by one so that Selece could set it aside.

"My, wasn't that fun..." Selece whispered, pulling Miira into a hug. "Time for bed sweetie."

"But... I want to spend more time..." Miira started, but she blushed and looked away. The fact she was already half asleep didn't change anything. She wanted Selece to caress her skin. She want her to brush against her cheek once more. But to stop all this just to go to sleep? Just because she was tired? Even sugar coated, Miira just didn't want to say yes right now.

"I know, Miira, I know. We have our whole lives to live. A great period of time in which we can share each other's presence. To think that tonight is the only night just isn't true." Selece explained, assisting Miira from a standing to lying down on the makeshift bed. Miira resisted at first, though Selece's breath on the back of her neck made her weak in the knees, and she dropped down slowly to the single sheet. "You don't have to say yes, Miira..."

"Then?"

"Ask of me what you will..." Selece turned the knob on the lantern next to the bed until the light vanished from the room, and pulled the blankets over her and Miira.

"Hold... Hold me tonight," Miira requested, whispering softly. She could feel Selece in her thoughts, seeking out what she really wanted. Miira's eyes closed. It was bliss to be clearly understood, but it was an even greater feeling to have someone offering their comforts to you. Nothing was better then being next to Selece. Absolutely nothing.

Selece's arms wrapped around Miira, pulling her nearer. She could not see Selece, as her back was turned, but she could feel Selece's supple breasts upon her upper back. Selece shifted her arms so that one lay on the bed to cradle Miira's head, and with a silly grin, placed her other, uppermost arm over Miira's bare chest. Miira was ready to melt at the affection pouring out of Selece at that moment, but at the same time she could feel genuine happiness and contentment among Selece's thoughts as well.

Miira began to speak, but words never left her mouth. The feelings were too great. For the first time she could not find the words to describe them. In every which way and form, there was not a single word she could think of that truly conveyed them. Her body began to whisper things to her, and she shivered as Selece's soft skin brushed lightly across her nipples whenever she moved. She was tempted to squirm in Selece's grasp, to capture more of this feeling, though she knew that would be pushing it.

"Miira, these things are for another time. Well... They should be... You need to rest. I have been resisting the urge to just jump on you all day. I don't know how much longer I can hold out, but if you put me to it... You won't be sleeping for awhile... at least... until I'm done with you." Selece whispered, and Miira, no matter how much she wanted more of this feeling, knew it was right to settle down and sleep. A tinge of guilt entered her thoughts, and she knew that Selece was doing so much for her... She would have to repay it in kind when the time was right.


	3. Chapter 3: Protoss Glory

**Chapter 3:**

Protoss Glory

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Selece awoke with a start the next morning. Her psionic abilities told her that someone was coming down the tunnels. She nudged Miira, who was still fairly attached to her, but already awake as well. They jumped out of bed at the same instant and squirmed into their jumpsuits. Quickly checking their guns, they proceeded to move into a corner, fading into the shadows of the room that was still mostly pitch black. Miira was depleted of all energy, and if she cloaked, Selece guessed she would run the risk of passing out. Selece decided that if it really was an unwelcome visitor, she would rather be their target first, and remained uncloaked as well standing slightly in front of Miira.

A few tense minutes passed by, and Selece kept monitoring the tunnels. But then, just as the individual was nearing the main chamber, she sighed and flicked on the lantern halfway across the room with her talents.

"Selece?" Miira asked quizzically.

"It's Taliz." Selece replied. "I couldn't see him at first because the tunnels have a lot of residual psionic energy in them." She sighed again and fell back upon the bedding. Miira followed her, sitting down on the edge, and resting her rifle upon her knees.

Sure enough, the large form of Taliz appeared in the dim light. He was carrying a large bag, and Selece knew at once it was supplies. He looked anxious, and his smile was meager. If you could call it a smile at all. The Protoss features varied significantly from the humans.

"Mistresses, forgive my intrusion. I am glad to see you are both fully functional." Taliz said, bowing slightly. "High Templar Yah'zugar has sent me concerning the business of making sure Mistress Miira is well."

"Oh?" Miira asked. "I feel alright."

"That is not necessarily what I am referring too, Mistress. I am referring to your energy depletion yesterday. It was picked up by the health measurement systems on your outerwear." Taliz replied, setting down the large knapsack on the floor. A few moments passed, and since no one spoke, Taliz continued. "It is usually fatal for a Protoss."

"How is that?" Selece inquired, curious now.

"The Protoss mind and body is a psionic instrument. Without energy, it begins to shut down. That is to say my ladies, we blackout and die. May I sit upon your floor?"

Selece and Miira nodded at the same time, and at last Taliz smiled for real.

"I am truly glad you are still functional, Mistress. Yesterday was a trying day. I trust your operation went well."

"Well enough, we destroyed the remnant's of your probe. The entire building for that matter. Though, we believe we found a command bunker. The New Confederacy doesn't trust their citizens, and the leaders of this chaos conspiracy reside underground. Well, this was one of those places. They have psionic capable people leading their regime." Selece explained. Taliz nodded in understanding.

"Do these psionic capable humans stay underground?" Taliz asked, knowingly.

"Yesterday was the first time I've seen one. I knew they existed, but yesterday... Definitely the only time I've ever seen one." Selece answered, leaning over to pickup her canteen. She handed the well worn container to Miira.

"If I may push the matter further... Do you know anything else about these people?" Taliz persisted, and Selece shook her head slightly.

"Nothing, save for the fact they have been here since the beginning. Since our escape transport ran aground on this planet." Miira handed the canteen back to Selece, and she set it in her lap, eyes upon the ground. Miira nudged her affectionately.

"In the older days, the psionic capable individuals in your race were called Ghosts." Taliz reminded Selece. "I recall you saying one day you were the only active Ghost on duty, in this government."

"My call sign was Zero. That's all I really was: an assassin. But of course, there are other psionics on this planet, they just can't cloak. They are called the PsyOps. But, I don't think we are talking about them. I believe the leaders of the Confederacy are in fact Ghosts as well. At least... the true leaders. Back before I was in the military, the leader I knew was a man named Geoff Telumeen. He was one of the survivors of the landing when humans first reached this part of space. And before people knew what was going on immediately after the crash, he was leading the government. Most definitely not psionic either. He couldn't hold a gun to save his life. At least, this is what I remember hearing. After I was thrown into the military, I never heard of him again. It was all about pleasing the generals, and pleasing the cowardly psionics." Selece grimaced as she remembered her past. A past of hardships, of beatings, of injustice. She sighed and leaned gently on Miira. "This world we live in is foul."

"You do not have to rectify it, my Mistress. It is within my power to take you away from here." Taliz explained, but Selece put up her hand.

"No... We will finish what we have started. I will not stand to see this world fall to pieces. I will not stand to allow the hate here to continue." Selece replied, perhaps a little louder then she needed to. "These people are ruthless. They are prepared to kill each other to get what they want. And I for one will not stand silent, knowing that innocent people die everyday."

"Very well. Master Yah'zugar is preparing a plan to infiltrate the fortress of the Confederacy. When it is complete, our race will work with the both of you to achieve your goals. Our blood is in your hands." Taliz bowed again.

"Your assistance is much appreciated. We are honored to be working with you." Selece was prepared to say more, but she was forced to stop as the sound of a deep rumbling reverberated in the cool air. The cavern shook horribly, almost as if screaming in pain. Loose rocks and dust fell from the ceiling. Selece and Miira stood immediately, rifles at the ready. Taliz stood as well, dropping the bag he had carried in with him, prepared to ignite his fist weapons. Another explosion rocked the ground, and more debris fell.

"They have found us." Miira said quietly. Selece nodded.

"Grab our food and our munitions, a couple of our filled canteens. We need to get out of here. Our air vents and tunnels are going to be clogged pretty fast." Selece replied, and Miira nodded as they grabbed supplies quickly.

"I am going to miss this place." Miira whispered, and Selece could see a tear roll down her cheek. "This place where we were always safe... in each other's arms..." The ground rumbled again. Larger pieces of rocks were falling now, enough to threaten the safety of the occupants. Selece moved forward to hug Miira, and they stood there amongst the destruction for several moments. It was as if the past was holding them back now, and suddenly neither of them had the power to move in dissent of their memories.

"We need to leave now." Taliz said authoritatively, yet Selece and Miira were still not moving. "There will be time in the future for..." Another explosion, closer this time, sent shockwaves through the chamber, sending Taliz to the floor. He immediately stood up again and made his way closer to the girls, preparing to carry them away from harm. He approached quickly, only to stop in mid step at the sound of another voice he hadn't quite heard before.

"Go!" came a psionically charged voice that seemed to push Selece and Miira right out the exit at a run with Taliz following close behind. The three of them dashed through the tunnels, rocks falling all around them and rolling down into the blackness they were leaving. While they had been affected by the voice, Selece and Miira were forced to forget about it for the time being as they dodged debris.

"Miira, Taliz, they will be waiting at the entrance." Selece said in her thoughts, and her companions nodded their heads. Miira wiped away her tears and brought her rifle up to her shoulders, the barrel pointed forward, and her finger on the trigger. Selece followed suit, and as she checked her safety, Taliz slipped to the front.

"I will go first, I am shielded. For your safety, my Mistresses." He ignited the blades at his fists, and an aquamarine light filled the passageway. "It is my born duty to keep you from harm." Selece nodded, wordless, and they pressed on. They were close to the exit now.

"Sound cloaking. Miira doesn't have the energy for a full cloak." Selece ordered, and the noise of their boots upon the rocks and dirt suddenly became mute. "Exit in 40 feet. Detecting 50 odd hostiles."

The early morning light appeared suddenly, and Taliz charged into it with such zeal, Selece and Miira followed at either side of him, the vengeance in their hearts suddenly stirring with great fury.

"For Auir!" Taliz's voice boomed out of his throat, his searing blades swinging in the air with deadly grace. Bullets pounded his shields, but it held, and he continued his charge. Selece and Miira exited the cavern soon after him, and they trained their scopes on the Confederate soldiers as they ran behind Taliz. The rifles discharged again and again, rapidly changing position in the air to point at targets that still breathed.

The hills that surrounded the exit were overrun with Marines, their weapons aimed at Taliz and firing relentlessly. Selece could sense the presence of fear in many of them. Taliz's battle roar had probably given them a fright. Even more, the sight of a Protoss had doubtlessly confused them to no ends. Selece's weapon clicked empty, and she psionically pulled a grenade from a soldier's corpse into her hand. The deadly contraption flew into her palm and she released the pin, tossing it into a cluster of Marines. An explosion rocked the ground, shrapnel could be heard whistling though the air at blistering speeds, and screams of agony filled the air.

Miira had run out of ammunition in her clip as well, and she had begun breaking necks with her psionic abilities. A soldier's head was twisting itself 180 degrees not far from the raging trio, and with a sudden pop, the soldier fell over dead, just yards in front of Miira. As she reached the corpse in her run, she grabbed the rifle he was using and returned to picking off targets with deadly accuracy.

Selece moved behind Taliz to reload her rifle with a fresh clip, still running. It had only been a couple minutes since they had exited the cave, and the battle was still fierce. She glanced at the Protoss in front of her. Bullets were still hitting a nearly invisible blue force field of sorts, though Selece could tell that some were beginning to break through. One such bullet penetrated the field, and it ripped through Taliz's exposed arm. He picked up a nearby rifle from another slain Marine, and still running, fired with fatal accuracy at the soldier that had just hit him.

"But a flesh wound, mortals!" Taliz screamed mightily, unwavering. He grabbed a grenade from the next corpse he found and tossed it several dozen yards directly in front of him. They were almost out of the rut. The last men would be at the end. Another explosion rattled the forest, and more shrapnel flew out in all directions. That which flew back at Taliz he took with a grim smile into his armor, and into his body. "Whom which can take his own cruel punishment is truly the stronger!"

They were nearly at the open forest now. The grenade had nearly totally shattered the last standing unit of soldiers. Two men were still alive until Selece and Miira finally finished the job. Taliz stopped for a brief moment to survey the wreckage, apparently dismayed that it was finally over. Selece and Miira dashed passed him into the forest a dozen yards before turning around.

"The righteous shall prevail, dogs of thy mothers' shame! Heathen from hell!" Taliz roared again. The sound of reinforcements could be heard in the near distance, and Selece ordered Taliz to catch up in her thoughts. He turned immediately, and began to dash towards the girls. A whistling could be heard now... Something was falling from the sky at a rapid speed... Selece instinctively grabbed Miira and catapulted the both of them forward on her feet.

A flash of light and heat erupted from the ground where Taliz was standing moments earlier, where the artillery shell had detonated, though Selece and Miira didn't see. They had turned their backs against the explosion. Selece fell to the ground, still clutching Miira tightly in her arms. Her back seared with a sudden burning sensation, and her chest ached as it absorbed the force of the blow when she fell. Her eyes shut in pain.

"No time to fall... No time to fall! Get up, Selece, GET UP!" Selece rallied in her thoughts, screaming to her body to get up and keep moving. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and her bones felt like they were going to splinter. Blood flowed freely from her lip, dropping onto Miira's face. Miira's face... Miira... A sudden wave of panic rolled through Selece. Miira wasn't conscious. Sub-machine gun fire erupted behind her, and she looked back, but could not find Taliz... Only a charred and smoking crater remained of the area the shell had hit. Of where Taliz had been standing...

Selece jumped into the air and ran, slinging Miira's rifle on her back like her own. She ran like she would have run only in her dreams. Dreams of glory. Dreams of victory and certain happiness. But no, she was running for her life now. Her life, and Miira's.

"You cannot run forever..." Selece's consciousness told her. "You cannot possibly run forever." And whether she liked it or not, her inner mind was absolutely right. She scanned her memories for someplace to hide... but there where none in this area. There was no fruit in this area. Therefore, they had no constructed hiding places. The weapon fire died as Selece gained distance from the soldiers. A river was up ahead, Selece could hear it now. Wraith Bee's could be heard as well.

"They're going to see us. They have thermal scanning." Selece warned herself. The river finally came into view, and she cloaked. "This is going to be tricky."

The cloaking field covered Selece and Miira, and they vanished. A splash of water followed soon after, and then it was as if Selece and Miira never really existed at all, save for small ripples making their way across the river. Selece popped above the surface of the cold water at the other side, still holding Miira's head above the slowly flowing current. They were soaked to the skin with the chilly water, though Selece wasn't paying attention. Instead she was listening intently to the sound of the Bee's. They were getting closer. Tense moments passed, and finally they came into few, flying swiftly towards them. Selece held Miira's nose and mouth closed, and she submerged once more, this time with Miira.

Engines could be heard coming closer over the water, then finally they were overhead after only a few more seconds. Seconds which felt like they took their time passing on the chronometer. And then Selece heard the sound she did not want to hear: The Bee's engines had been put into idle. Selece knew Miira wasn't going to last long underwater while still unconscious. Risking their cover, Selece popped above the surface, face down. She pulled Miira up under her head, and released her clasp on Miira's face to let her breath. The Bee's in the air hovered longer, and just when Selece thought she could feel their eyes on the back of her head, they screamed away at a blazing speed, back to where they had come from: The collapsing remains of Selece and Miira's home. Selece put her hand to her hooded forehead.

"Thank you Protoss!" She whispered to herself, satisfied, as the river water streamed down her face. Selece turned back to Miira, sensing that she was coming about.

"Selece?" Miira began slowly, and her protector looked back down at her. She slowly eyed her surroundings. "Selece... Why are we standing in a river and soaking wet and cold?"

"This river just made us completely invisible to the thermal detection on the Bee's. The water absorbed into our hoods and our long hair, and I was able to poke above the surface for air with you while we remained protected from their scanning. And if you haven't realized yet, you're in my cloaking field at the moment, so... Are you going to be okay, Miira?"

"Yes, of course... because I'm with you." Miira answered truthfully, and Selece managed a smile. "Taliz... Where is he?" The smile was quickly lost. Miira had asked the question Selece didn't want to answer.

"Gone." Selece answered dismally. She dropped her head next to Miira's and sighed. "There was nothing left of him after the shell hit." Several quiet moments passed. Selece turned to look at Miira.

"Because we have to keep going, Selece..." Miira leaned forward and kissed Selece gently on the lips. "Because we have to keep fighting."

"You're right Miira, we have to keep going. For each other." Selece could feel tears welling in her eyes from the emotional stress she was feeling that moment, but Miira wiped them away gently, and Selece sniveled.

"Thank you, Miira..." Selece trudged out of the water and on the bank, then made an immediate turn right.

"Selece, you don't actually want to head in the direction of the city, do you?" Miira asked, nudging Selece in affectionate wonder.

"No, we aren't going there. Not yet." Selece moved quickly, dashing upon the river's edge. She scanned the terrain, and noticing a large old tree, took a left turn.

"Into the old growth forest..." Miira noticed with a quiet voice as they left the banks of the water. Selece looked carefully, and found the next worn tree, deeper into the forest. She walked around it several times until she found what she was looking for: a very small marking in the surface. It was a bearing, and Selece flipped her chronometer over on her wrist to reveal a digital compass.

"Remember? About a year ago now, we came here to see if there was fruit here?" Selece whispered, watching her compass intently as she turned her body to the proper direction. She began walking quickly forward.

"Yes, how could I forget, Selece..." Miira replied, blushing. Not only were they looking for food here, Miira had become highly aware of her feelings for Selece while she was in the area last time. It was as if she had walked into a magical garden of love, and became enchanted with the first individual she laid eyes upon. Of course, the only other person around at the time was Selece... And with these thoughts, Miira suddenly felt very secure in her surroundings, and she leaned closer to Selece, closing her eyes.

It was several minutes later when Selece finally stopped, and the sounds of the forest filled her ears instead of the rocks grinding under her feet. Miira opened her eyes, and comprehension dawned upon her eyes. They had made it to the tree they affectionately called 'Blackie', back in the days of their adventuring.

It was a stunning testament to the resilience of the indigenous old growth trees of the planet. Evidence of a fire was readily apparent, but the tree was still alive... Alive even though it was clear one entire side of the tree was dead. Nearly 300 feet tall and twelve feet in diameter, it was massive as well.

Selece set Miira down gently, and took her hand. They walked carefully around to the other side of the tree, and kneeled down to clear a layer of leaves and branches they had left to cover the opening. Once this work was down, a small hole was revealed, and Selece helped Miira through to the inside.

"Not much has changed. The sap of this tree is still the same as when we last left it. It's like it keeps away the bugs and animals. Though, I'm not surprised, it does irritate the skin..." Miira commented from inside, and Selece climbed in after her.

It was not a very large opening, but it was enough. The fire that had burned a good portion of the tree had also affected one of the roots jutting above the ground, effectively hollowing it. That and the half removed insides made for about seven feet of room. Enough to sleep. Selece took the canteen from her waist, removing the lid. She lovingly put it to Miira's lips

"Please, Miira, drink as much as you want." Selece whispered, scooting up to Miira's side and draping an arm around her shoulders.

"But... we..." Miira began to protest, however Selece nodded her head smiling. nudging Miira's mouth with the container softly.

"Don't worry, sweetie." Miira fell silent, taking a few drinks of water and handing the canteen back to Selece, who did the same. "We are going to be okay. Turn around."

Miira did as she was told, and could feel Selece undoing her equipment from its place. Selece turned Miira back around to face her and removed extra clips of ammunition from her waist. Selece placed their rifles on the ground and took off her own things, then laid down upon the ground. She shifted around for a few moments to find a comfortable position, and motioned for Miira to rest upon the top of her.

"Are you sure, Selece? I know it's a bit hard on you..." Miira began, but Selece shook her head.

"You are in need of this rest more then I am. At least be more comfortable and warm, rest on me this afternoon. We move at night fall." Miira complied, and let herself drop lightly upon Selece. Warm, comforting arms wrapped around Miira as she snuggled her head into Selece's chest and closed her eyes. "There you go, lovely..."

"Selece..." Miira asked in whispers.

"Yes, Miira?"

"Why are you so good to me... Especially now, when we are having such a hard time lately..." Miira responded, and Selece considered the question carefully for a few moments.

"Because we are both trying our best for each other. We are trying our best to save our race from itself. We are trying our best to save each other from our race. We are trying our best in everything we do, including sharing the love and compassion we have in our hearts, for each other..." Selece replied caringly.

"But... why now... When we are still in danger... It won't take long for them to start scouting this area... I have energy, we can still move to a safer location..." Miira explained, and again Selece spent a few moments thinking over her answer.

"Today was very close, whether or not we realized it as we were escaping, I'm beginning to realize it right now. No, forget that. It wasn't close. We failed. Taliz is dead. But, in all honesty... It's just that we..." Selece started, tears running quietly down her cheeks. She took a few breathes before continuing, but Miira already knew what she was planning to say. "... we really don't know when ..."

Selece would have finished if Miira hadn't snuck up and clamped her lips over her partially open mouth.


End file.
